Safety appliance for sidewalk-elevators.



i of my invention.

Patented July 5, 1904-;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL GRIFFIN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO THOMAS MAI-IONY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR SlDEWALK-ELEVATOBS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,236, dated July 5, 1904.

Application filed February 9, 1904.

To all whom 111; may concern.-

Be it known that 1, MICHAEL GRIFFIN, acitizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Safety Appliances for Sidewalk-Elevators,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in elevators used for carrying freight or passengers, and particularly in so-called sidewalkelevators.

It is customary to employ hydraulic-ram or direct-lift elevators for the purpose of conveying goods to and from the level of the sidewalk. When the elevator is not in use, the shaft-opening is closed by hinged gratings or hatches continuous with the sidewalk. These elevators are generally arranged to be operated from the open elevator-platform, and it is a customary and dangerous practice for workmen to step upon the elevator when below and the sidewalk-hatches closed and ascend, expecting in the ascent to lift the hatches by hand and allow the platform to come level with the walk and the man to pass up through the hatchway. The danger lies in the hatches being locked or otherwise refusing to work, in which case the operator is crushed between the platform and the hatches.

The object of my invention is to render the opening of the hatches a condition precedent to the starting of the elevator.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is aview of elevator and elevatorshaft in partial section showing application Fig. 2 is a View taken at right angles to Fig. 1.

A represents a ram-casing; 2, the ram; 3, the elevator-platform; 4c, the hinged sidewalk doors or hatches; 5, the hand or starting rope passing over the upper and lower pulleys 6 7 and connected with the lever 8 of the control-valve 9.

The elevator is ordinarily started and stopped by pulling on the hand-rope 5 to open or close valve 9 and allow fluid under high Serial No. 192,813- (No model.)

pressure to pass through inlet-pipe 10 into casing A or to discontinue the flow of fluid. thcreinto.

My invention resides in means for operating the stop-valve 11, which governs the flow of fluid through valve 9 simultaneously with the opening and closing of the hatches i, so that when the hatches are closed the elevator cannot run. Any suitable form of valve mechanism and connective means may be used. In the present instance I have shown valve 11 as an oscillating slide-valve, having a stem 12, to which is rigidly secured the arm 13. A weight 14 is adjustable on arm 13 relative to the pressure in the inlet-pipe and tends normally to close the valve. Arm 13 is connected to one of the hatches I by a line 15. l Vhen the hatches are closed, valve 11 is closed, and the fluid-supply through valve 9 and to the ram is cut oil. When the hatches are opened, arm 13 is moved to open valve 11 and allow the elevator to move whenever valve 9 should be opened.

In practice it becomes necessary for the operator first to ascend to the sidewalk to open the hatches. If desired, he can open valve 9 before he opens the hatches, so that as soon as they are opened the elevator will ascend to him. By this means he protects not only his own life, but the lives of pedestrians passing continually to and fro and who might be injured by the unexpected opening of the hatchway from below.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat out, is-

1. The combination with the closure of an elevator-shaft, of an elevator and means for reciprocating the same, and means operated by the opening movement of the closure for starting in operation the said reciprocating means.

2. The combination with the closure of an elevator-shaft, of an elevator in said shaft, means for reciprocating said elevator, and means operated by the opening movement of the closure for starting the elevator, and stopping the elevator by the closing movement of said closure.

8. The combination with an elevator-shaft, mechanism for running said elevator, a counof a hinged closure therefor, an elevator in said terbalanced control-valve for the fluid-presshaft, means including fluid-pressure mechsure and means for openingsaid valve synchro anism foroperating said elevator, avalve connously with the opening movement of said 5 5 trolling the fluid-pressure and connections beclosure.

tween said valve and closure for opening the In testimony whereoflhaveherennto set my i valve synchronously with the opening movehand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ment of the closure. MICHAEL GRIFFIN.

4. The combination with an elevator-shaft, I/Vitncsses: I O of a closure therefor, an elevator in said shaft, P. H. PIQDA,

means including fluid pressure operated I R. D. MOELROY. 

